Ring system including a removable outer ring

ABSTRACT

A ring system may include an outer band including a first ring and a second ring, the second ring including a lower portion and an upper portion, the upper portion being pivotable relative to the lower portion; wherein the outer band is configured to receive a ring band between the first and second rings, and wherein the outer band is transitionable between an open condition in which the upper portion is angled relative to the lower portion of the second ring and a closed position in which the upper portion is and the lower portion form a closed annulus.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to and is a continuation-in-partof U.S. application Ser. No. 14/838,583 filed Aug. 28, 2015, the entirecontents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIGURE SELECTED FOR PUBLICATION

FIG. 2

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present disclosure generally to jewelry, and more particularly to aring system that includes a ring that is configured to be detachablycoupled to another ring.

Description of the Related Art

A ring is a round band, which is usually fabricated from metal, and thatis worn as ornamental jewelry. Rings are commonly worn to celebrate orcommemorate various occasions, such as, for example, an engagement or amarriage. Traditionally, an engagement ring is a ring worn by a personto indicate that she is engaged to be married.

One popular setting for an engagement ring is known as a Tiffanysetting. The Tiffany setting includes a set of prongs that hold agemstone and attach it to a plain band ring. Usually, the gemstone,typically a diamond, is the only stone on the band. Due to their rarity,large stones are typically more expensive than many stones that equalthe same carat weight. Consequently, some engagement bands include alarger diamond set in the middle and smaller diamonds on the side.Conventionally, unless the band or the stones are changed, there is noway to change the total number of carats of the gemstones used once thering is made.

There is a continuing need to provide a cost effective solution toupgrading an engagement ring.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein is a ring system including an outer band that isconfigured to be coupled to a ring band (e.g., a ring having a Tiffanysetting) that when coupled thereto may create a visual impression of asingle ring. The outer band may include a plurality of gemstones securedthereto.

A ring system may include an outer band including a first ring and asecond ring, the second ring including a lower portion and an upperportion, the upper portion being pivotable relative to the lowerportion. The outer band may be configured to receive a ring band betweenthe first and second rings, and the outer band may be transitionablebetween an open condition in which the upper portion is angled relativeto the lower portion of the second ring and a closed position in whichthe upper portion is and the lower portion form a closed annulus. Thefirst and the second rings may each include an arcuate end and form anannular opening when in the closed position, the annular opening beingconfigured to be securely positioned about a stone of a tiffany settingring. The upper portion may be biased toward the closed position, forexample, via a spring member. Also or instead of a spring, a magnet maysecure the upper portion in the closed position. The first and secondrings may be spaced apart and held together by a connecting rod suchthat a space between the first and second rings is dimensioned toreceive a ring band therebetween. The connecting rod may include agroove formed therein that is configured to accommodated the ring band.

A kit may include the above described system as well as a ring band thatis configured to be received and releasably coupled by the ring system.

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like referencenumerals designate the same elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a ring system including an outer ring and aninner ring in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the outer ring of FIG. 1 shown in afirst state;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the outer ring of FIG. 1 shown in asecond state;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the outer ring of FIG. 1 shown in thesecond state with the inner ring inserted within the outer ring and inthe second state;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the ring system of FIG. 1 shown with theinner ring inserted within the outer ring and in the first state; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the outer ring of the ring system ofFIG. 1 shown with parts separated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention.Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in thedrawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts orsteps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale.The word ‘couple’ and similar terms do not necessarily denote direct andimmediate connections, but also include connections through intermediateelements or devices. For purposes of convenience and clarity only,directional (up/down, etc.) or motional (forward/back, etc.) terms maybe used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directionalterms should not be construed to limit the scope in any manner. It willalso be understood that other embodiments may be utilized withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention, and that the detaileddescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and that elementsmay be differently positioned, or otherwise noted as in the appendedclaims without requirements of the written description being requiredthereto.

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, a ring system 200 may include an inner ring bandR and an outer band 204. The ring band R may have a Tiffany settingconfiguration in which a set of prongs P hold a center stone S of thering band R. The outer band 204 is configured to releasably receive thering band R, and may include a plurality of gemstones G. The outer band204 may include a first ring 206 and a second ring 208 that aregenerally aligned with one another, spaced apart by a distance and mayinclude arcuate sections 206 s, and secured to one another via one ormore connecting bars 209 disposed at or near the exterior surfaces ofthe first and second rings 206, 208 such that ring band R may bepositioned between the first and second rings 206, 208 of the outer ringband 204.

The outer band 204 is configured to transition between a first or openstate (as shown, for example, in FIGS. 3-4) and a second or closed state(as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5.) As shown in FIG. 2, theouter band 204 is in an initial closed state. The second ring 208 of theouter band 204 includes a lower portion 208 a and an upper portion 208b. The upper portion 208 b is pivotably hinged at pivot points, definedby pins 210 a, 210 b extending through opposing sides of the upperportion 208 b, relative to the lower portion 208 a of the second ring208 of the outer band 204. As shown in FIG. 6, a spring member S mayoptionally be coupled to both the upper and lower portions 208 b, 208 aof the second ring 208 of the outer band 204 to pivotably bias the upperportion 208 b relative to the lower portion 208 a at the pivot pointsdefined by pins 210 a, 210 b. Alternatively, or in addition, a lockingmechanism, for example, a male-female connection or a magnet may securethe upper portion 208 b in an upright position or in the closedcondition. The first and second rings 206, 208 may be coupled to oneanother via a connecting rod 212. The connecting rod 212 may include agroove 212 a that is shaped and dimensioned to permit reception of thering band R.

A method of operating the ring system 200 is described with reference toFIGS. 2-5. As shown in FIG. 2, the outer band 204 is uncoupled from thering band R. To prepare the outer band 204 to receive the ring band R,the upper portion 208 b may be pivoted in the direction of arrow Arelative to the lower portion 208 a of the second ring 208 of the outerband 204 such that the upper portion 208 b is angled relative to thelower portion 208 a of the second ring 208 and the arcuate portions 206a and 208 a of respective ones of the first and second rings 206, 208are spaced apart, thereby allowing insertion of the ring band R betweenthe first and second rings 206, 208. As shown in FIG. 4, with the upperportion 208 b angled and spaced apart from the first ring 206 of theouter band 204, the ring band R is inserted into the space between thefirst and second rings 206, 208. Thereafter, the upper portion 208 b istransitioned, for example, automatically transitioned by way of thespring members S, back toward the initial position, along directionalarrow B which is in a direction opposite that of arrow A, with thearcuate sections 206 s, 208 s of respective ones of the first and secondrings 206, 208 securing the center stone S of the ring band Rtherebetween, thereby preventing inadvertent removal of the ring band Rfrom the outer band 205. Removal of the ring band R from the outer band204 is accomplished in a similar manner by pivoting the upper section208 b of the second ring 208 such that a space between the first andsecond rings 206, 208 is created such that the ring band R may beremoved from therebetween.

Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations inturn, in a manner that may be helpful in understanding embodiments ofthe present invention. However, the order of description should not beconstrued to imply that these operations are order dependent.

Those of skill in the art will additionally recognize that the proposedinvention may be used as a neck/chest strap or single shoulder strap byadjustably supporting and connecting only two opposed sides of thesupport system (between the collar and one arm opening). In this manner,the adjustable feature is still operative, but the user has enhancedoptions for convenience and securement.

Having described at least one of the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it willbe apparent to those skills that the invention is not limited to thoseprecise embodiments, and that various modifications and variations canbe made in the presently disclosed system without departing from thescope or spirit of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the presentdisclosure cover modifications and variations of this disclosureprovided they come within the scope of the appended claims and theirequivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A ring system, comprising: an outer bandincluding a first ring and a second ring, the second ring including alower portion and an upper portion, the upper portion being pivotablerelative to the lower portion, wherein the outer band is configured toreceive a ring band between the first and second rings, and wherein theouter band is transitionable between an open condition in which theupper portion is angled relative to the lower portion of the second ringand a closed position in which the upper portion is and the lowerportion form a closed annulus.
 2. The ring system of claim 1, whereinthe first and the second rings each include an arcuate end and form anannular opening when in the closed position, the annular opening beingconfigured to be securely positioned about a stone of a tiffany settingring.
 3. The ring system of claim 1, wherein the upper portion is biasedtoward the closed position.
 4. The ring system of claim 3, wherein theupper portion is biased toward the closed position via a spring member.5. The ring system of claim 1, wherein a magnet secures the upperportion in the closed position.
 6. The ring system of claim 1, whereinthe first and second rings are spaced apart and held together by aconnecting rod such that a space between the first and second rings isdimensioned to receive a ring band therebetween.
 7. The ring system ofclaim 6, wherein the connecting rod includes a groove formed thereinthat is configured to accommodated the ring band.
 8. The ring system ofclaim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second rings include aplurality of gemstones secured thereto.
 9. A kit comprising: a ringband; and a ring system, comprising: an outer band including a firstring and a second ring, the second ring including a lower portion and anupper portion, the upper portion being pivotable relative to the lowerportion, wherein the outer band is configured to receive a ring bandbetween the first and second rings, and wherein the outer band istransitionable between an open condition in which the upper portion isangled relative to the lower portion of the second ring and a closedposition in which the upper portion is and the lower portion form aclosed annulus.
 10. The kit of claim 9, wherein the first and the secondrings each include an arcuate end and form an annular opening when inthe closed position, the annular opening being configured to be securelypositioned about a stone of a tiffany setting ring.
 11. The kit of claim10, wherein the upper portion is biased toward the closed position. 12.The kit of claim 11, wherein the upper portion is biased toward theclosed position via a spring member.
 13. The ring system of claim 10,wherein a magnet secures the upper portion in the closed position. 14.The ring system of claim 10, wherein the first and second rings arespaced apart and held together by a connecting rod such that a spacebetween the first and second rings is dimensioned to receive a ring bandtherebetween.
 15. The ring system of claim 14, wherein the connectingrod includes a groove formed therein that is configured to accommodatedthe ring band.
 16. The ring system of claim 10, wherein at least one ofthe first and second rings include a plurality of gemstones securedthereto.